PDK, a professional association for educators, and Gallup have
partnered on this important education poll work for decades, and these
current findings reveal an intense desire for a new measure of what
makes schools great. About one in 10 U.S. adults say students' scores on
standardized tests are very important measures of school effectiveness.

Still, test scores continue to be central to any conversation about
school performance. They inform strategies on how to close the
achievement gap and are a straightforward tool for reporting outcomes
and comparing schools. But test scores -- as different as they may look
from student to student and school to school -- fall short in helping us
understand what makes schools great and students successful.

Test scores cannot be the sole common denominator by which we
understand or describe diverse student bodies and school systems. School
is not only where students learn and apply information, but also where
they can discover and practice what they do best and learn to be a
better version of themselves. Schools should be places where students
are excited about learning and where they begin to build the foundation
for their own unique future.

The public's overwhelming support of the importance of engagement
with class work and student hopefulness about the future mirrors the
direction that many schools nationwide are taking by adopting positive
behavior and positive school culture programs. Many of these programs
focus on noncognitive learning domains that are critical to student
success.

Adding positive measures to the school effectiveness equation is a core value of the Gallup Student Poll -- an annual Web survey for fifth- through 12th-graders
that measures student engagement with school and hope for the future,
among other elements that help schools make students ready for the
future. The results from this survey complement test scores and other
metrics tracked by schools.

Like thousands of other parents around the nation, I'll soon be
registering my oldest daughter for her first college entrance exam. I
will encourage her to plan ahead, prepare well and perform the best that
she can. But before she receives her score, I will remind her of three
important truths: her value is not determined by test scores; the
opportunity to do good in this world is not measured by the exam; and
her potential exceeds the parameters of the exam to tell the tale of her
unique talents. Remind a student of these three truths today, so they
know that test scores, while important, are not the full measure of a
person or an education.

Americans overwhelmingly think there is too much emphasis on
standardized testing in public schools and that test scores are not the
best way to judge schools, teachers or students, according to a national
poll.

The results released Sunday come from the 47th annual
PDK/Gallup poll of attitudes toward public schools, the longest-running
survey of Americans’ views on public education.

The
survey showed that the public rejects school accountability built on
standardized tests, which has been federal policy through No Child Left
Behind, the signature education initiative of President George W. Bush.

Signed
into law in 2002, No Child mandated annual tests in reading and math
and required schools to raise scores every year or face penalties.
Through its own policies and grant programs, the Obama administration
has further emphasized testing by requiring states to evaluate teachers
based on test scores.

“You see a solid
public rejection of [testing] as a primary policy,” said Linda Darling
Hammond, a professor at Stanford University’s Graduate School of
Education, after reviewing the poll.

A majority of respondents —
64 percent — said too much emphasis has been placed on testing, and a
majority also said the best way to measure the success of a school is
not through tests but by whether students are engaged and feel hopeful
about the future.

“Too many kids in too many schools are bored,”
said Joshua P. Starr, a former superintendent of Montgomery County
Public Schools in Maryland who is now chief executive of PDK
International, a network of education professionals. “Parents maybe see
that and they want their kids to be engaged in schools.”

Many
Americans also said they think students should be judged by multiple
measures, including student work, written teacher observations and
grades. And they overwhelmingly think teacher quality is the best way to
improve education, followed by high academic standards and effective
principals.

Although the national debate over public education
has become polarized during the past several years, with bitter
divisions inside and between political parties, the PDK/Gallup poll
showed a surprising level of agreement in the public at large.

The
2015 survey, based on telephone and Internet polling performed in May,
includes for the first time a breakdown of responses to some questions
by racial groups as well as political parties.

A majority of
respondents — regardless of political affiliation — opposed the notion
of evaluating teachers based in part on test scores, an idea heavily
promoted by the Obama administration and fought by teachers unions.

When
it comes to the role of the federal government in public schools, a
majority of respondents said Washington should play no role in holding
schools accountable, paying for schools or deciding the amount of
testing. Seven out of 10 respondents said they wanted state and local
districts to have those responsibilities.

Regarding academic
standards, more than six out of 10 said the expectations for what
students should learn is important to school improvement. But a majority
— 54 percent — is opposed to the Common Core State Standards, the K-12
academic benchmarks adopted by 43 states and the District of Columbia
that have been under fire by critics on the left and right.

Despite
the view that there is too much standardized testing, a majority of
respondents said parents should not excuse their children from tests. A
majority also said they think test scores are “somewhat important” in
judging the effectiveness of their local schools.

In a rebuttal
to those who say states should use common tests so that the public can
compare how students perform across state boundaries, fewer than one in
five public school parents said it was important to know how children in
their communities performed on standardized tests compared with
students in other districts, states or countries.

But nearly one
in three blacks said using standardized tests to compare their local
schools with schools in other districts and other states is “very
important.” Just 15 percent of whites gave the same response.

Overall,
the public is happy with local schools, with 57 percent of public
school parents giving their school an A or a B for performance. But just
19 percent had that opinion of public schools nationwide.

“Clearly,
there is anxiety about what’s happening in teaching and learning,” said
Andres Alonso, a professor at the Harvard Graduate School of Education
and a former chief executive of Baltimore City Public Schools.

Respondents
said they support charter schools, and more than six out of 10 say
parents should be able to choose any school for their children within
their school district.

But respondents were opposed to vouchers,
or using tax dollars to pay for private school tuition, a policy
increasingly promoted by Republican politicians. Several of the 2016
presidential hopefuls — Scott Walker, Jeb Bush and Bobby Jindal —
support vouchers.

Overall,
57 percent of respondents were opposed to vouchers and 31 percent were
in favor. Public school parents split in a similar way.

But by
political party, Republicans were divided on vouchers, with 46 percent
in favor and 46 percent opposed. Democrats were strongly opposed to
vouchers, with 71 percent against and 16 percent in favor. Independents
opposed vouchers by a margin of about 3 to 2.

On some issues,
there were clear differences of opinion along racial lines. Blacks
tended to be more supportive of the Common Core and standardized testing
than whites, and a majority of blacks — 55 percent — gave President
Obama an A or a B for his support of public schools, compared with
17 percent of whites.

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KSN&C is intended to be a place for well-reasoned civil discourse...not to suggest that we don’t appreciate the witty retort or pithy observation. Have at it. But we do not invite the anonymous flaming too often found in social media these days. This is a destination for folks to state your name and speak your piece.

It is important to note that, while the Moderator serves as Faculty Regent for Eastern Kentucky University, all comments offered by the Moderator on KSN&C are his own opinions and do not necessarily represent the views of the Board of Regents, the university administration, faculty, or any members of the university community.

On KSN&C, all authors are responsible for their own comments. See full disclaimer at the bottom of the page.

Why This Blog?

So far as we know, we only get one lifetime. So, when I "retired" in 2004, after 31-years in public education I wanted to do something different. I wanted to teach, write and become a student again. I have since spent a decade in higher ed.

I have listened to so many commentaries over the years about what should be done to improve Kentucky's schools - written largely by folks who have never tried to manage a classroom, run a school, or close an achievement gap. I came to believe that I might have something to offer.

I moved, in 1985, from suburban northern Kentucky to what was then the state’s flagship district - Fayette County. I have had a unique set of experiences to accompany my journey through KERA’s implementation. I have seen children grow to graduate and lead successful lives. I have seen them go to jail and I have seen them die. I have been amazed by brilliant teachers, dismayed by impassive bureaucrats, disappointed by politicians and uplifted by some of Kentucky’s finest school children. When I am not complaining about it, I will attest that public school administration is critically important work.

Democracy is run by those who show up. In our system of government every citizen has a voice, but only if they choose to use it.

This blog is totally independent; not supported or sponsored by any institution or political organization. I will make every effort to fully cite (or link to) my sources. Please address any concerns to the author.

On the campaign trail...with my wife Rita

An action shot: The Principal...as a much younger man.

Faculty Senate Chair

Serving as Mace Bearer during the Inauguration of Michael T. Benson as EKU's 12th president.

Teaching

EDF 203 in EKU's one-room schoolhouse.

Professin'

Lecturing on the history of Berea College to Berea faculty and staff, 2014.

Faculty Regent

One in a long series of meetings. 2016

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